**Recommendations: Brunch is popular, but expect a line up. Apparently the sweetbreads are great, but I didn’t come for dinner.

So what is the bloody big deal about Prune? Simply put, it’s the hottest thing since The Spotted Pig. Well, it’s one of them at least. The Fat Radish is another one, but I liked Prune better based on what I tried. Apparently to some foodies and food enthusiast in New York, The Spotted Pig is so yesterday and this is so today, but I enjoyed The Spotted Pig most. Being the band wagoner I am in a city I’m not too familiar with, I jumped on and made it a point to try them all. As a tourist everything was new to me anyways, so yesterday or today, it’s all the same.

Prune actually opened in 1999, which is over 10 years ago, so it’s definitely not new. However its recent popularity and boom of success is due to the fact that the owner and chef, Gabrielle Hamilton, was just awarded Best Chef in NYC for 2011 by the James Beard Foundation. She was nominated in 2009 and 2010 as well, but never won the category until this year. Well leave it to the winning of an award with the James Beard Foundation, or earning Michelin Stars (The Spotted Pig), or appearing on Food Network (Big Gay Ice Cream) to bring you to fame, but in New York or almost anywhere, it works!

Anyways it was my last lunch in New York and I was contemplating Prune or Clinton St Baking Company. Both are located in East Village and are supposed to be stellar restaurants with long line ups during brunch, but it was one or the other. Or both!

My original plan was to go to Clinton St Baking Company for their famous blueberry pancakes after my lunch at Prune, so I only ordered one dish here. I know, how rare right? I can’t tell what a restaurant can do based on one item, so I can’t speak for the rest of the menu or style of the chef.

The sad thing is, is that I never made it to Clinton St Baking Company. I ended up squeezing in Chikalicious and Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery before and after Prune, and after those I just had no more room to enjoy Clinton St Baking Company before dinner, so I didn’t. That’s okay though, I won’t know what I missed until I have it, so it’s on the itinerary for Follow Me Foodie to New York City round 2!

Okay, so I semi-lied. I really did roll my way to Clinton St Baking Company after, but I didn’t get anything. I just wanted to see it. I waited until 4pm to get hungry again and went back a second time to actually try their pancakes… and scones, but discovered it had just closed until dinner

On the table:

Complimentary Crudités

Celery, olives and salt.

This was cute and a bit random, but the gesture was appreciated since it was only lunch.

Cold Salmon, Soupy Rice and Peas with Fried Salmon Skin – 4/6

$15

The description did not sound good, besides the “fried salmon skin” aspect, and for me that was the hook. It was also a recommended choice.

I would have preferred if the soupy rice was a risotto, but this was a lighter choice.

The rice was luke warm and a bit hard and slightly like Uncle Ben’s in texture which I wasn’t keen on.

The peas were smashed into the rice and the whole ones were a bit starchy, so the soupy rice could have been better overall.

The rice was a bit herby with chives, parsley and mint (?), and the broth didn’t have much of a flavour besides carrying the ingredients I listed.

The salmon was melt in your mouth buttery, medium rare and moist and almost sashimi like.

It was as oily as toro (tuna belly) which is rare for salmon, but I’m not complaining one bit.

The salmon wasn’t really cold, but it was room temperature and slightly on the colder side of it.

It was poached and infused with lemon, but it wasn’t sour and just aromatic with some spices and herbs.

It didn’t have a crust, but it was basted with a sauce that tasted like ground coriander seed, lemon zest, and perhaps mint.

It wasn’t bland, but the flavour was mild.

It seemed inspired by Middle Eastern or Indian flavours, but it wasn’t nearly to that degree, and I wouldn’t categorize it as that either.

It was a very light and summery dish and I enjoyed the salmon part the most, but I still wasn’t quite convinced of the dish entirely.

8 Comments

HI Mijune, I’ve been following your posts on NYC and kudos to you,and your stomach, for trying to get a taste of as much food as you can during your visit there. NYC simply has way too many choices!! I think you need to make a monthly visit!lol

@vivian – thanks vivian!! I’m so happy you’re still following because I was worried Vancouver might not be interested. Do you go back often? I wanted to do as much research as I could… I’ve only real eased 1/4 of my posts lol

I love the rare salmon…it’s texture can be upsetting to those who never eat anything but overcooked fish. Prune really maximizes their space..the seats are really close together; very cozy but difficult for large people sitting cheek to cheek. Surprising that a restaurant of this fame can’t cook rice properly.
Try this take on a shioyaki style of salmon: Sprinkle some Maldron sea salt over a piece of sockeye, place skin side down on a pan(stainless) which has been on low heat for five minutes. Cook til salmon turns colour(from red to white), about 10 to 15 minutes.

mmmm.. i love rare salmon too! people always get squirmish when they see it sometimes thinking that the rawness of it is really unappealing but I LOVE it! i like how they added the crudites but what was the salt for? did you use it with the celery? seems kind of redundant since the olive was there

i LOVE pea shoots, i never understand why its not used more often.. that and watercress too!

Obviously inspired by William and Kate’s Royal Wedding, I’m continuing the theme. They probably didn’t serve guests “Chocolate and Soil”, and too bad too because they really missed out! I’m no princess, but I sure felt like one as I indulged in these impeccable desserts fit for royalty.